NBA Standings shake-up: LeBron’s Lakers surge, Tatum’s Celtics hold firm as Curry keeps Warriors’ hopes alive
23.02.2026 - 07:10:27 | ad-hoc-news.de
The NBA Standings got a fresh jolt over the last 24 hours. With LeBron James pushing the Los Angeles Lakers back into the thick of the Western Conference Playoff Picture, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics reinforcing their status near the top of the East, and Stephen Curry keeping the Golden State Warriors’ season alive, the race tightened across both conferences.
[Check live stats & scores here]
Lakers ride LeBron’s all-around control, Warriors lean on Curry’s shooting clinic
In Los Angeles, LeBron James once again looked like the smartest player on the floor. Controlling tempo, orchestrating pick-and-rolls, and punishing mismatches in the post, he steered the Lakers to a critical win that nudged them up the Western Conference NBA Standings and kept their Play-In cushion intact. His line was classic all-around LeBron: efficient scoring in the high 20s, double-digit assists, and near double-digit rebounds, flirting with yet another triple-double while barely breaking a sweat.
The Lakers’ defense tightened when it mattered. Down the stretch, they switched everything, walled off the paint, and forced opponents to settle for contested jumpers from way downtown. Anthony Davis anchored the back line, swallowing up drives and cleaning the glass for a sturdy double-double. It was not just a win; it felt like a statement that this group, when locked in, can be a nightmare in a seven-game series.
On the other side of the West drama, Steph Curry turned the clock back yet again. Golden State needed a response game to keep pace in the Play-In race, and Curry delivered one of those nights that make the arena buzz from warmups. He splashed in well over 30 points, drilling multiple threes from the logo and bending the opposing defense into knots. Every time a run threatened to cut the Warriors’ lead, Curry answered with a deep three or a crafty drive that got him to the free-throw line.
One stretch in the third quarter summed up the vibe: Curry hit back-to-back threes, then found a cutting teammate for a layup, then drew a foul on a relocation jumper. The other bench slumped; Chase Center erupted. It felt like playoff energy in February, and those possessions might loom large when we look back at why Golden State snuck into the postseason or the Play-In.
After the game, the Warriors’ locker room tone was sharp. The message, paraphrased from their veteran voices: If they defend, rebound, and let Curry’s gravity unlock open looks, they still believe they can give anyone a scare once the brackets are set.
Celtics stay steady at the top while the East logjam thickens
Meanwhile in the East, the Boston Celtics took care of business again. Jayson Tatum carried the scoring load with a smooth, efficient performance. He found his rhythm early in the midrange, then used that threat to attack the rim and draw fouls. By the fourth quarter he was calmly orchestrating the offense, picking his spots and trusting his shooters in the corners.
With another win added to their column, Boston held its ground in the upper tier of the Eastern Conference NBA Standings. Jaylen Brown chipped in with aggressive downhill drives, and the Celtics’ defense once more showed why it travels: forcing turnovers, cleaning the defensive glass, and choking off second-chance looks. Their point differential remains among the best in the league, a classic indicator that this is more than just a hot streak.
Behind them, the middle of the East remains a knife fight. Teams from the 4 through 10 spots are separated by just a handful of games. One cold week, and you tumble into the Play-In. One five-game win streak, and suddenly you have home-court in the first round. Coaches are already talking about scoreboard-watching and tie-breakers, even though there are still weeks left in the regular season.
Where the NBA Standings sit now: contenders, climbers, and the bubble
With last night’s results in the books, here is a compact look at how the top of each conference is shaping up. Records and seeds are based on the latest official update from the league and major outlets like NBA.com and ESPN.
| East Seed | Team | Record | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston Celtics | Best in East | Tatum-led, strong point differential |
| 2 | Top East contender | Within a few games | Chasing Boston for home-court |
| 3 | Playoff lock | Comfortable cushion | Positioning for matchup |
| 7 | Play-In team | Just above .500 | On the bubble, margin thin |
| 10 | East fringe | Below top tier | Fighting to stay alive |
| West Seed | Team | Record | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West leader | Top record in West | Title-favorite profile |
| 4 | Home-court hopeful | Firmly above Play-In | Chasing top 3 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Lakers | Hovering around .500 | LeBron & AD surge shaping seeding |
| 9 | Golden State Warriors | Just under mid-pack | Curry carrying the Play-In push |
| 10 | West fringe | Couple games back | Need every win to stay in race |
Numbers will keep moving nightly, but the tiers are clear. At the top, a handful of teams look like true title contenders. In the middle, there is a cluster of franchises just trying to avoid the Play-In. And at the back end of the Play-In zone, squads like the Lakers and Warriors are living on the edge, where one bad week could drop them into lottery talk.
Box score stars and last night’s Man of the Match performances
LeBron and Curry were the obvious headline names, but the box scores across the league delivered plenty of Player Stats that will fuel debate. LeBron’s near triple-double showcased how he can still control a game without hunting shots, pivoting seamlessly between scorer and facilitator based on matchups. When the defense sent extra help, he punished them with skip passes for wide-open threes. When they stayed home on shooters, he bullied his way to the rim and finished through contact.
Curry’s night was a different kind of masterpiece. His scoring binge was built on perpetual motion, flying off pin-downs and handoffs, and his gravity opened backdoor cuts and short-roll opportunities all game long. Even in possessions where he did not shoot, the defense overreacted so violently that Golden State carved up the rotations with extra passes. That is the essence of MVP-caliber impact: the box score tells part of the story, but the sheer fear he puts into defenses explains the rest.
Elsewhere around the league, several rising stars and role players stepped up with big double-doubles and clutch shooting performances. A couple of wings posted 25-plus points on efficient shooting, and a young big man grabbed north of 15 rebounds while anchoring the paint. These are the box-score nuggets that do not always lead SportsCenter but quietly tilt the Playoff Picture as we inch toward April.
MVP Race: Jokic, Giannis, Tatum, and the lurking legends
The MVP Race remains a four- or five-man sprint. Nikola Jokic sits right near the top thanks to another season loaded with triple-doubles and absurd efficiency. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to bulldoze through defenses with nightly 30-point, double-digit rebound outings. Jayson Tatum’s case is rooted in winning; he is the best player on a team often sitting first in the East.
Even with those heavyweights leading most ballots, veterans like LeBron and Curry keep nudging their way into the conversation with signature nights. No one is arguing they have the same statistical dominance over 82 games as the main candidates, but narrative matters. When you throw down a 35-point masterpiece in a nationally televised game that swings the NBA Standings, it sticks in voters’ minds.
For now, the advanced metrics and team success lean toward the usual suspects. But if the top contenders stumble or rest down the stretch, a late surge from a dark-horse candidate could make this an even tighter race. The margin between first and third in MVP voting looks just as narrow as the separation between a 2-seed and a 4-seed.
Injury news, thin rotations, and what it means for the stretch run
No standings update is complete without checking the injury report. Several contenders are managing nagging issues to star guards and wings, opting for short-term rest rather than risking something bigger ahead of the postseason. A couple of rotation players sat with minor strains, and at least one starting-caliber big man remains day-to-day with a sore knee.
Coaches are preaching the long view. One East contender’s coach framed it this way after the morning shootaround (paraphrased): A one-game drop in the standings is a trade we will make if it buys us health in May. That tension between chasing seeding and preserving legs is defining lineups right now. It also opens the door for bench players to get real minutes, pad their own Player Stats, and audition for playoff rotations.
For teams like the Lakers and Warriors, any absence hits harder because their margin for error is tiny. They cannot afford a week-long skid. That is why every ankle tweak or sore hamstring feels seismic to fan bases tracking the Live Scores on their phones.
What to watch next: must-see matchups and standings swing games
The upcoming schedule offers more potential swings in the NBA Standings. The Lakers face another West rival hovering in the Play-In zone, a classic four-point game where the winner grabs not just a W but a crucial tiebreaker edge. Expect LeBron to crank up the halfcourt tempo and Davis to test the opponent’s bigs early.
The Celtics, meanwhile, have a measuring-stick matchup against another top-tier East squad. That kind of game does not decide seeding by itself, but it sends a message about who dictates style. Tatum’s scoring versatility and Boston’s switch-heavy defense will be under the microscope.
Golden State’s next outing is another must-watch. If Curry keeps this heater going and the supporting cast hits open threes, they can inch up the board and maybe even escape the bottom of the Play-In. Drop one or two in a row, and suddenly every talking head show is asking whether this era is running out of time.
The margins are brutal now. One buzzer beater, one missed boxout, one defensive stop in crunchtime can swing not just a single game but the entire Playoff Picture. With every night delivering new Game Highlights and fresh drama, the smartest move for fans is simple: keep one eye on the court and the other on the live NBA Standings, because this race is only getting wilder.
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